


In the Cereal Aisle

by nokabrenna



Category: Nevermore Series - Kelly Creagh
Genre: Adulting, Gen, Post-Canon, brad is still kind of a douche
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24290635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nokabrenna/pseuds/nokabrenna
Summary: The world is a small place sometimes. And sometimes you meet people you haven't seen in years in the strangest places.
Relationships: Brad Borgan & Isobel Lanley, Isobel Lanley/Varen Nethers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	In the Cereal Aisle

**Author's Note:**

> Something that came to mind when I was first reading this series. I found it amusing, so here it is. T because Brad's still kind of a dick.

The cereal aisle was not the most interesting place to be at 9:00am on a Saturday. Brad could be back at home pregaming with his buddies for that day’s college football offerings. But he was low on milk, cereal, deli, frozen burritos, TP, paper towels--the list could go on. So here he was, at the grocery store, in the cereal aisle, deciding between cocoa krispies or frosted flakes, and watching a pregnant chick at the other end of the aisle do the same.

She clearly made a decision, and, for better or worse, it was on the top shelf. This was a problem for her because she was A: short, and B: pregnant. Just reaching for it didn’t really work all that well because she couldn’t quite get close enough to the shelves. So she decided to jump for it. She got down into a squat, and Brad reminded himself that this was a public place. She had a great ass, and watching that blonde hair bounce as she tried to get the box of cereal was kinda mesmerizing. Her bubblegum pink shirt stretched tight over her torso, and he thought he could understand where some of his buddies were coming from when they went on about MILFs. This would be something he could totally tell his friends about. There was also the fact that she reminded him of one of his high school girlfriends. Top flier on the cheer squad, relentlessly up-beat, and with a serious addiction to anything pink.

And that put any thought of describing this whole scene right out of his head. Because tied to images of that girlfriend were images of cold jade eyes turning black, the cawing of crows, and a certain throbbing in his leg. Brad was a less of a douchebag than he had been in high school, these days, but anyone who knew the Sig-Nus would be hard pressed to differ. Brad was very, very good at blending in. But he still remembered some decency, so he walked over to the pregnant girl to help her get her cereal. “Hey,” he said. “Want me to get that for you?”

He’d distracted her, but somehow, while he was watching, she’d managed to work the box of cereal she’d wanted to the front of the shelf. And when she’d turned to look at him, she'd been nudging the box out. Brad had grabbed one of the boxes that she was looking at--Count Chocula for whatever reason--and was handing it to her. But her fingers had slipped against the box, and she had managed to knock it from the shelf. With an equally surprising amount of agility, she’d caught it. “No thanks,” she said, turning. “I’m good.”

Brad’s brain stopped working. Holy shit, it was Isobel Lanley. Eyes like warm blue sapphires, straight blonde hair that she worked so hard to keep looking perfect, same dimples in her smile, and that little one in her chin. But the very faint scar under her left eye was new. As were the piercings in her ears. Two to a side, and were there skulls dangling from them? And she was pregnant. Holy hell. What was she doing here? At least she seemed as stunned as he was to see him.

“Brad?” she asked, face all scrunched up. At the same time, he blurted, “Isobel?”

She smiled, and God, he’d missed that smile. Like a warm dawn breaking. He felt himself smiling a bit in response. He still liked her, after all the shit that had happened back in junior year. “You look good,” she said. “Much better than when I last saw you.”

Brad chuckled at that. Yeah, he’d been in a sorry state with his limp, and thin from spending lots of time in the hospital with the fever. Nothing lots of PT and hours in the gym couldn’t fix, but he couldn’t play football at his former level, and his leg hurt when the weather changed, and he sometimes couldn’t feel what type of sock he was wearing, but yeah. He was looking loads better. She kinda was too. Less with the spooked than when he saw her last, and was there that glow that everyone said pregnant mothers had about her?

“You’re not so bad yourself, Izo. What’re you doing in this corner of the world?”

She laughed a bit too, and there was a slightly self-deprecating edge to it. “I’m on a trip with my husband, and we needed some groceries, so--.” She waved the box of cereal. “How’ve you been? I don’t think I’ve seen you since high school. I know Alyssa kept in touch but--”

Yeah. He and Alyssa had even gone to college together, and they’d dated. They sent each other cards at Christmas these days, but that was about it. “Been okay. Didn’t play ball in college, but I guess you guessed that. But I do a bit of sports med and conditioning these days. Work with the local college on that.” _Even if it is D II, and I don’t get as big of a paycheck as I’d like_ , he thought, but didn’t add.

“That’s cool! I’m in business. Got a degree in finance, but I really enjoy marketing too. I’m working with a pretty great company, and--”

“Hey, Isobel,” a calm voice said, “I was wondering if you needed any help. I finished getting dairy, so--”

She turned at the voice, and Brad was pretty sure she was giving off her 1000-watt smile that she used to use just for him. He looked to the end of the aisle to see a tall black-clad figure pushing a cart down it. Everything in him stiffened, even more than ten years later. That voice--not as macabre as the other, but the same in the pitch and phrasing. But this one was blond, instead of dark-haired, and wearing a T-shirt instead of a jacket, and he was pretty sure sneakers instead of boots, but it couldn’t be--. The figure pulled even with Isobel, who reached for his hand and held it. There was some strain on her face, and that’s when Brad noticed her rings. She wore two. One was a simple platinum band on her left ring finger, the other, a class ring with a black stone and a V on its face. He knew that ring, and as his eyes travelled reluctantly up the dark figure, he knew what he’d see. He hadn’t quite expected the thick cuff worn on the left wrist with a bit of pink sticking out like a tongue, nor the blond hair (still slightly long), nor the scar on the cheek, but the cool jade eyes he had expected. Varen Nethers. And while he couldn’t see a ring on him, he was pretty sure this was Isobel Lanley’s husband.

“Varen,” Isobel said brightly, “guess who I ran into.” She looked tense though, and had slid slightly in front of her husband.

“Brad Borgan,” Varen replied. “Small world.”

Brad coughed and cleared his throat. “Yeah. Hey, Varen.”

“Didn’t know you lived here.”

“Yeah, well, I moved.”

“I had guessed.”

“What are you guys doing out here? Don’t expect this would be a great place for a honeymoon.”

“The honeymoon was five years ago, thanks,” Isobel cut in tartly. “And you’re right. Even if we didn’t know, we still wouldn’t go here.” Varen tugged on her hand a bit.

“Figured," Brad chuckled. "So what brings you here?”

“As I said, a trip. With my husband. Who I’d like to go back to shopping with.” Varen tugged on her hand again, slowly drawing her away. And that’s when it struck Brad. Isobel had moved in front of Varen to protect him--by going on the offensive. Coach had always said something along the lines of the best defense being a good offense.

“It’s a book tour,” Varen said calmly.

“Oh?” Brad replied.

Isobel smiled proudly up at her husband. “Yeah. Best-selling author.” Varen blushed a bit.

“Oh.” He paused, feeling stupid with the Count Chocula in his hand. “Why haven’t I heard of you yet?” And now he felt really stupid with the double barreled death glare coming at him. Varen’s he had expected, and to be honest, he was maybe less scared by it. He’d had the jade lasers cut into him several times when he was still at Trenton, and he’d survived. Mostly. Isobel’s azure glare scared him though. While Varen’s said that he’d gladly see Brad die in a likely excruciating manner, Isobel’s was along the lines of someone who saw him as less than dirt on her shoe, and she’d gladly bulldoze him over to get what she wanted. It was like she’d stared down God and found him lacking. And she’d do it again, if push came to shove.

“I write horror, mostly science fiction, fantasy, and some speculative fiction.” Varen replied mildy.

Isobel shrugged. "Kinda niche, but what can you do?"

Brad felt very foolish with his boat shoes, bright chino shorts, and polo. Maybe that explained the skull earrings then. Isobel’d gone emo. “Well, I’d be willing to read them,” Brad began.

“Your library should have them,” Varen replied. “No signed copies of course, but there are copies there.”

“I.. I’ll have to check one out then.”

“Nice seeing you again, Brad,” Isobel replied, turning the cart around to go.

“I could take you guys to lunch?” he offered desperately.

Varen shrugged. “Could, but on a bit of a schedule. Thanks for the offer.” He turned to follow his wife with a backwards wave. “We’ll maybe be in touch.”

_But likely not_ , Brad thought, and returned to his cart with a box of Count Chocula in hand.


End file.
